It is interesting how Paul finishes his letter. After this lengthy discourse about the gospel, he is eager for the Roman Christians not to be misled by anything or anyone. Paul knows that it is a battle of ideas and influences out there and so he expresses his concern lest the seeds he has planted be suffocated by these worldly influences. We live in the age of information, bombarded by compelling ideas and influences from every direction through the most powerful media forms. If Paul were here today, I think his warning to us would be even more urgent. We must not treat our situation too casually, but be vigilant about guarding our hearts. Don’t flatter yourself by thinking you are unswayable. Your heart-mind is more sensitive to influence than you think. And be aware too that you never really notice when something is influencing you. So don’t be too quick to say, “Oh that doesn’t affect me at all”. If you are to thrive in life you must keep doing what you are doing now, reading through Scripture, examining yourself, and measuring your exposure to worldly influences. Don’t let your guard down. This is Paul’s message here as he closes this letter. God has planted the seed of truth in our hearts. Let’s not poison the seed with worldly influence. Rather, let’s feed the seed so that it will grow and cause us to THRIVE!
Commit to making these choices in life which will make you thrive.
Read Romans 16:17-27
